Philippines bans cybersex

After two Swedes were sentenced to life in the Philippines in 2011 for illegally running cybersex dens, the government passed the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 to eliminate any other similar crimes online.

Cybersex, employing “cyber chat girls” is a growing industry in the world, showcasing the new face of prostitution in countries like the Philippines where young women and even underage girls are forced to perform sexual acts via live webcams for internet clients.

The age of fast-speed internet and broadband connection lets off almost no country involving the Philippines from any crimes and illegal activities online like cybersex, but the country is now taking its stand against all these syndicates after passing the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for active implementation. This act includes strong opposition against any related obscene sexual acts “cam girls” would perform for a pay live in webcams.

The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 President Benigno Aquino signed on 15 September would cover the detection, investigation and suppression of cybercrime activities including hacking, cybersex, identity theft, spamming, and child pornography online, Senator Eduardo Angara said.

The act defines cybersex as "the willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity, with the aid of a computer system, for favor or consideration".

Violations pertaining to cybersex would result to imprisonment or a maximum fine of 250,000 Philippine pesos ($6,000; £3,700). Such penalty should confirm punishable acts enumerated in Section 4(c)(3):

Unsolicited Commercial Communications. — The transmission of commercial electronic communication with the use of computer system which seek to advertise, sell, or offer for sale products and services are prohibited unless:

(i) There is prior affirmative consent from the recipient; or

(ii) The primary intent of the communication is for service and/or administrative announcements from the sender to its existing users, subscribers or customers; or

(iii) The following conditions are present:

(aa) The commercial electronic communication contains a simple, valid, and reliable way for the recipient to reject. receipt of further commercial electronic messages (opt-out) from the same source;

(bb) The commercial electronic communication does not purposely disguise the source of the electronic message; and

(cc) The commercial electronic communication does not purposely include misleading information in any part of the message in order to induce the recipients to read the message.

According to the report, the case of two Swedes who were convicted and sentenced to life was based on the severity of the crime they committed against the Republic of the Philippines:

The life sentences are unprecedented both for their severity and for the spotlight they cast on cybersex dens.